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Monday, September 21, 2015

Everest - IMAX or Cinerama?

For those of you that are trying to figure out exactly which movie theater will give you the most bang for your hard earned buck when you head out to see Everest, I have put together some information that I hope will help you make the right choice.

Now, I'm not going to compare every screen in the greater Seattle area, but I am going to give you the lowdown on the two big players. The Seattle Cinerama and the Pacific Science Center IMAX theaters. Right off the bat, you're thinking..."No contest, IMAX wins every time!".

Clearly you need to read my other blog post regarding IMAX.
You can read it HERE, but finish this article first.

Normally, I would agree with the IMAX sentiment assuming the movie is playing in the unbelievably awesome "Boeing IMAX Theater", but keep in mind there are also some movies are shown in the Pacific Science Center's still-awesome-but-not-nearly-as-impressive "PACCAR IMAX Theater".

Oh, you didn't know there was more than one IMAX screen at the Science Center? Well, now that you know, I'm going to keep this simple and just throw down some basic theater screen stats for you to review. Oh, and according to the Science Center's website, Everest is being shown in the recently remodeled Boeing IMAX theater so here goes.

The last set of stats is basically what you will find at the Lincoln Square Theater IMAX, Southcenter Mall IMAX, Alderwood Mall IMAX, and any other "IMAX" theater that is in a mall. If you live in one of those areas, save yourself some cash for popcorn or candy and see the movie on a non "IMAX" screen. You really won't miss anything.

If you are basing your decision on screen size alone then the Boeing IMAX theater is the easy choice. The screen itself literally towers above anything else and the sound is also unparalleled even when stacked up against the Cinerama's brand new state of the art sound system. Both theaters have recently undergone extensive upgrades bringing them both to the forefront of the premier theaters anywhere in the world.

Another key decision-making factor is that Everest actually does contain scenes that were filmed using actual IMAX cameras. With this in mind, the uniquely square shaped screen of an IMAX theater is fully utilized during the presentation unlike when non IMAX films are being shown. Keep in mind not all scenes were filmed this way so there will be transitions between the full IMAX frame and the standard rectangular dimension throughout the film.

What the Cinerama has going for it, aside from the most state of the art audio and video systems on the planet, is double the seating capacity, cheaper, locally produced concessions, and also a slightly lower ticket price. All that and the Cinerama is simply the coolest theater you will ever walk in to.

My recommendation would be to see Everest at both venues so you can judge for yourself, but if you can only see it once then you will have to make the decision on your own. Hopefully I have given you enough information to help you make the right choice.

Want to know more about IMAX screens that aren't even anywhere near as big as the non-IMAX Cinerama screen? Go back to the top of the page and check out that other blog post (or CLICK HERE). You may never go back to any of the mall "IMAX" theaters ever again.